I could have gone on about the huge energy costs of designing buildings to be continuously heated and cooled by air conditioners. However I thought the underlying psychology of why people feel they NEED to fortressed from the elements is more fundamental.

These thoughts from a whipper-snapper in Brisbane, Australia, by the way.

martin on Sun, 7th Feb 2010 4:49 am

you are indeed a whipper snapper and rabble rouser.

fantastic writing and art

the best is to see the mythic air conditioners atop the doorless casinos of las vegas, machines the size of mt olympus, blasting cold air at the desert at noon

Lynette on Mon, 8th Feb 2010 4:15 pm

Thanks Stuart. Perhaps we should post a link to Gabriel’s article in the Courier Mail.

I write from India. Here, in most urban areas, the temperatures vary between 29 to 45 degrees Celsius.
The air-conditioners, however, are set somewhere near 18 degrees. Which, as a tropical being I tell you, is freezing. Now after spending several hours in these unnatural climes, we step out into the heat.
Our lungs and bodies are taking an obscene blow.

As someone who despises the smell, the texture, the silence, the snobbery, the impacts and the concept of air conditioning, I am enraged that I have no choice – most constructions and buildings have windows that aren’t designed to be opened.
As I type, I’m eying a chair I’m tempted to fling through my office window.

Caiohm on Mon, 15th Feb 2010 11:09 am

Hey, nice work. Good to know there are people all over the world who share the same ideas and feelings than me. Hugs from Brasil, and keep posting man

dave on Thu, 11th Mar 2010 7:19 am

so when you made this, you were outside? when you posted it, you were outside. granted you could have posted it via a wireless connection. a wireless connection developed in a temperature controlled room.

Henry Miller wrote a book called The Air-Conditioned Nightmare. I don’t remember much about the book, but I often think about its wonderfully memorable title.

Simon on Tue, 4th May 2010 11:59 pm

Love the cartoons. This one particularly. I love the rain when I’m walking in Scotland. I know it can make things uncomfortable for us. But I always remember that it would not be such a beautiful place if all we had was sun.
Another wonder of rainy days is descending from the clouds after hours without views. That first glimpse of the other side of the glen, the subtle colours and the sense that somehow the landscape works. That is a feeling that I wouldn’t miss for a lifetime of dry nights indoors.
I hope you are able to put more of these up…

The Amyloidosis Foundation estimates that approximately 3,000 people are diagnosed with amyloidosis each year in North America and that blood cancers overall have increased more than 40% in the last decade.

Phanatic on Wed, 7th Jul 2010 1:37 am

Stuart McMillen, if you have ever visited Philadelphia during the heat of a summer day, you probably would never have written/drawn this piece…

Vee on Mon, 9th Aug 2010 12:32 am

Nice strip, but I’m pretty sure old people would rather feel alive too… and a lot of them die during the summer. A/c is essential, an accessory to climate, not a climate-killer.

ryan on Sun, 22nd Aug 2010 1:24 am

This is a great piece. I particularly support the bottom-most section. I find thoughts of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of nature when I expose myself to what our planet has to offer – such as the weather, the sights and sounds of life on earth, the hues of sunrise and sunset, the moon, and the subtle accompaniment of the distant stars.

Bamboo on Fri, 27th Aug 2010 2:43 am

You don’t live in the southern United States, do you? Yes, we need to be out in the natural elements more. Moderation in all things.

Love it. I spent 6 weeks in the Philippines and Hong Kong this summer and I’m not a big fan of the use of air conditioning there. I never turned in on in those weeks. But I did use an electric fan… and I was sometimes happier to be in an air conditioned library, mall, museum, etc. So while I do think we’re too self-indulgent and wasteful, I’m completely against air conditioning and heating. I sure wouldn’t want to heat houses with wood or coal fires.

Mark on Fri, 29th Oct 2010 3:59 am

Oops. Above, i meant “I’m NOT completely against air conditioning and heating.”

Thanks for your great cartoons, btw.

Nick J Oodian on Wed, 22nd Dec 2010 10:21 pm

Simply awesome. Very thought provoking. Keep up the good work. njo

NED on Sun, 27th Feb 2011 3:18 am

Typical shortsighted world view. It’s all about you isn’t it?

You don’t need air conditioning. I don’t need air conditioning. I am 30 years old, healthy, and live in relatively temperate New York. However, in air conditioning allows hundreds of millions of elderly, sick and young to pass their years in comfort instead of extreme deprivation or stress. Air conditioning is the largest single factor in the 20th century push to populate areas like the American SouthWest and Texas, which were basically uninhabitable previously.

Next time you want to think the world revolves around you and your issues, take a note of how many poor indigent 70 year old black women in inner cities dies during a heat have in summer when they cannot afford cooling.

Wonderful! just what i´ve been thinking about, and blogging, and figuring out how to cartoon too, and you did it already! but this ideas need to keep flowing always stronger…so i’ll do also my part. (please support my cycling bus so i can find sponsors)

an already follower of yours… (i put part of a cartoon of yours, the great ‘Bike vs Bus’ one, on my blog, propperly linked)

Rever

Sam on Sun, 15th Apr 2012 10:48 am

Yay. Me too. I’d rather feel alive. Hate aircon. (well maybe after a few days of 37 degC +…I would reconsider ;-)). But generally I agree with your sentiment. Cheers,
W